Sugar-free foods and beverages offer a way to reduce your caloric intake without giving up anything in return. The products that replace sugar range from zero calories to less than three calories per g, compared to sugar's 48 per g. Some substitutes also have less impact than sugar on your blood glucose levels, which is important for diabetics and people who are at risk for developing this disease.
Types
Sugar substitutes fall into three categories: synthetic, natural and chemically modified natural substances. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration must approve the sale of synthetic sugar and chemically modified substitutes. It classifies the all-natural products as dietary supplements, which do not require testing. However, the FDA has the authority to investigate any consumer complaints about dietary supplements and remove them from the market, if necessary.
Brand Facts
The trade brands that contain saccharin are Sweet 'N Low and Sweet Twin. Aspartame is a chemical made from two amino acids that appear in Equal and Nutrasweet brands. Sucralose, marketed as Splenda, has no calories and no aftertaste. Acesulfame K--Sweet One and Sunnett brands--is a zero-calorie synthetic sugar substitute that often winds up in baked goods, in addition to beverages because it doesn't break down when heated.
Alcohol Sugars
Alcohol sugars are not calorie free. These sweeteners include erythritol, isomalt, lactitol, maltitol mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol. With the exception of xylitol, they are 30 to 90 percent as sweet as sugar, but have fewer calories per g. Xylitol has 2.4 calories per g and is 100 percent as sweet as sugar. All food labels must show the presence of these alcohol sugars. Family Doctor notes that your body absorbs these sugar substitutes more slowly than sugar and that they can cause bloating and diarrhea. They also affect blood glucose, although not as much as sugar. Avoid consuming excessive amounts.
Plant Sweeteners
Stevia is a natural plant sweetener derived from the leaves of a South American plant--stevia rebaudiana. It has no calories, but some people find its aftertaste unpleasant. Approved since 2008, it has several brand names, including Truvia, Pure Via and Sweetleaf Sweetener. Substitute it for sugar when baking. The FDA suggests that you use it in moderation.
Promoters of agave nectar as a sugar substitute suggest that consumers use it to replace sugar and honey. It comes from the tequila plant, but like sugar, creating it involves a chemical process to extract the sugar. The final product is chemically similar to high fructose corn syrup, according to the University of Missouri. It contains 16 calories per tsp., like sugar, but tastes sweeter. Therefore, you can use less. It has a lower glycemic index--20 to 30--compared with sugar at 68 and honey's glycemic index of 55.
Controversy
The National Cancer Institute says its review of research on all currently approved sugar substitutes shows that that none causes cancer. Saccharin once had a warning label that it caused cancer in laboratory animals, but the FDA removed it in 2000 after additional research.
The lingering controversy about artificial sweeteners centers on the question of the long-term effects of consumption of these products. In general, using sugar and sugar substitutes in moderation is the recommendation from the scientific community and the government.
Member Comments